Caution To The Wind
by randomwriting
Summary: Following where your heart leads sometimes requires throwing a little caution to the wind. SC
1. Not Interested

Caution To The Wind

Disclaimer: These characters are owned by creators, producers, etc., not me, I'm just borrowing them.

Not Interested

Tim tore into the sandwich wrapper as he walked through the lunchroom, oblivious to anything but the food in his hand. It was 1:45 in the afternoon and with the way his day was shaping up, he figured he had about 15 minutes till the next call out came. It looked like this was going to be one very long day. Considering he had been called out three times since 5:30 AM and had mountain of evidence still waiting to be processed, his assessment was spot on. He quickly bit into the soggy, chicken salad sandwich surprised and disappointed to discover it was actually tuna salad that he was tasting. Looking at the wrapper, he saw it had indeed been mislabeled as 'chicken salad'.

'Figures,' he thought. Oh well, it was eat it or go hungry, he mused, because it was probably going to be a long time until he got another chance to eat. He chewed, swallowed and hurriedly took another bite, unaware that he was being watched from across the room.

"Timmy," a familiar voice called to him. He looked around, his eyes settling on Alexx sitting alone with her lunch at a nearby table. He nodded back a greeting, but kept walking, there was no time for chit chat . She motioned to him as he drew closer.

"Have a seat. Join me," she offered, pointing to the open seat across from her.

"Can't. Gotta mountain of evidence waiting for me," he told her, distractedly. She shook her head disapprovingly.

"Surely you have a moment to sit and finish that before you choke," she admonished, pointing to the half eaten sandwich in his hands. "Even you can take ten minutes."

He stopped a moment, avoiding her eyes as he thought of every reason why he didn't have time to sit, but this was Alexx and no excuse was going to fly. He grabbed a chair and sat quickly, looking like he might dart out of it any second. She handed him a napkin since he was without, yet in need of one.

"Thanks," he said, grabbing and wiping his mouth haphazardly before launching into the rest of his quick lunch. "Do you have that tox report for me?" he asked between bites.

"Not yet. These things take time, you know that."

"Time's the one thing I don't have today," he said with a heavy sigh, wishing he had remembered to get a drink.

"I'll page you when I get it, don't I always?" she said with a friendly smile. "You look beat. It's a tough one today. Everyone's running around, looking all stressed. Maybe the afternoon will quiet down." He cast a doubtful look in her direction. "Well, we can always hope," she said in response to his dubious expression. He needed to get going but didn't want to be rude. "We still on for tomorrow night?" she asked. Now he was confused, as well as anxious to get a move on. He didn't think he was working tomorrow night, but he didn't quite know what she was referring to. His eyebrows raised inquiringly as he waited for her to fill him in on whatever it was he had forgotten about.

"You don't remember do you?" Her expression was one of amusement, which did little to alleviate his confusion. He shook his head. "We have dinner plans," she began, surprised he still showed no indication of remembering, "at that new restaurant on the water. Ring a bell yet?" He just shook his head, his eyes blank. "I have a free night with no husband or kids and thought it might be nice for us us to catch up. Have some social time out of this environment. I told you about this last week."

"Sorry, I forgot," he said, then added grudgingly, "I guess I can make it, if I'm not stuck here."

"Baby, that's the whole reason for going out in the first place. You need some time away from here." He began to protest, but she stilled him before he got a word out. "It's not good for you to spend all of your time here. I don't imagine you've got much of a social life going on. How could you, you're either here, or what? Sleeping?" she asked. "What you really need is someone to take care of you, not that you'd ever let anyone close enough to do that," she added under her breath.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and glanced at his watch. At this rate, he was never going to catch up with his work. He also, most definitely, didn't want to be discussing his life right now, or as Alexx seemed to think, his 'lack of a life', but she was not to be deterred.

"I worry about you," she continued, looking at him with concern in her eyes.

"I get out plenty," he defended. "And I certainly don't need anyone taking care of me," he added emphatically, just so she'd know he heard her previous comment. She eyed him critically and waved her hand with disdain.

"I don't mean that clubbing you do with Eric. Too much of that is no good for you, either of you. Don't you get tired of it?" she asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "You need something more solid in your life."

"No I don't." He looked at her with an expression of pained tolerance. "I don't have time for anything else," he answered, no longer trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"That's just an excuse," she began, only to be startled by the sound of both their pagers going off simultaneously.

He groaned and looked at the message flashing on the pager screen. Figures, he thought, 15 minutes, just as he expected. At least this conversation was over. He wasn't happy about having to go on another call out, but at least it saved this chat from delving further into his love life. As much as he liked Alexx and never minded the 'mothering' she foisted on him, this was not territory he wanted to get into with her, or anyone for that matter.

"Looks like we're both wanted," she said resignedly, as she cleared her stuff off the table. "Timmy, I'll be expecting you tomorrow night. Don't disappoint me," she warned.

"Yeah, fine. I'll try. See ya later," he said hastily and took off from the table, depositing his garbage along the way. She shook her head at his receding form. "That boy is never gonna let anyone get close," she said to herself, before making her own way out.

Tim spent the remainder of the day frantically playing catch-up and never quite succeeding. Throughout the afternoon and early evening, he grew more and more irritated, snapping at anyone who crossed his path and just generally being unpleasant. It would've been easy to blame his bad mood on the day's stress or even fatigue and although those two played a part, he knew there was more to it than that. More likely, his brief lunchtime conversation with Alexx was what was bugging him.

It wasn't that he was irritated with Alexx, he could never truly be mad at her. For some reason the two of them had hit it off from the beginning, quite possibly because of his interest in medicine and she'd had a soft spot for him ever since. But the conversation at lunch had made him uncomfortable. She meant well and he was used to her fussing over him, but his love life just wasn't up for discussion.

He trusted Alexx, as much as he did Horatio and if he needed advice he'd have no qualms about going to her, but she was wrong about what she thought he needed. He

didn't need, or want, 'someone to take care of him' as she'd put it. Quite the opposite as a matter of fact. He was perfectly content to do without the complications of a relationship.

Relationships served a purpose, but for the most part they left people dependent on someone else for their happiness and that was almost always a recipe for disappointment at best, disaster at worse. The 'worse' he saw every day. That was enough for him. He couldn't possibly be held responsible for someone else's well being or happiness. Surely he'd end up screwing it up. That was not a risk worth taking, just the thought of it unnerved him.

He had neither the time nor inclination for a relationship that came with expectations and he was comfortable with that, so why was the conversation with Alexx bugging him so much? What nerve had she touched? No time to think about it. He just wanted to get out of the building and go home. He hoped to catch at least a few hours of sleep tonight. Tomorrow would be another long day.

Tomorrow. 'Shit,' he thought. He was supposed to have dinner with Alexx tomorrow. Ordinarily he'd be happy to dine with her, but if lunch today was any indication of why she wanted to spend time with him, he'd prefer to skip it. Alexx was a good friend he reminded himself, he couldn't stand her up. He'd just have to steer the conversation to safer topics. Maybe he'd ask Delko to join them, then remembered it was Eric's night to pull overtime. Looked like it would be just the two of them. He winced at the thought. This day just needed to be over.

tbc


	2. Unexpected Companion

Caution To The Wind

Unexpected Companion

Crime took a bit of a break the following day, allowing the team to get caught up with all the evidence that had piled up the day before. All but Eric, who was stuck with overtime, were ready to leave at a reasonable hour for a change. Tim assured Alexx he would indeed join her for dinner as planned. He was in a better frame of mind today and found he was actually looking forward to a night out and a decent meal. A good night's sleep, an easier day and the ability to put the previous day's discomfort behind him, all worked to improve his disposition. He would just need to keep Alexx talking about something other than him.

Showered and changed from his work clothes, he was actually on time and found the chosen restaurant without difficulty. He was pleased to find it was a small place and didn't appear to be crowded, despite being a Friday night. He wasn't in the mood for crowds tonight, hoping instead for a quiet dinner with a friend and an early night.

The restaurant was located in a prime spot, right along one of Miami's many beautiful beaches. At first glance, at least judging by the parking lot, it didn't appear to have been discovered yet by those looking for the next new hot spot to see and be seen. He was tired of those trendy places that people, tourists in particular, always migrated to. Walking in, he was struck by the casual charm of the decor. It looked like a place that might have been standing for the past few decades, now weathered, but otherwise unchanged from it's inception. Yet this shabby ambiance was brand new. He liked it, felt at ease in the place.

He checked his watch, it was only five minutes after the designated meeting time and he was surprised not to find Alexx already seated and waiting for him. Usually he was the one who showed up late, always as a result of work. He decided to take a seat at the bar while he waited.

Nursing his beer, he felt a hand lightly settle on his shoulder and turned, expecting to see Alexx standing behind him. Instead his eyes met the magnetic green gaze of another colleague, one he wasn't expecting to see tonight. For a long moment the two just stared at each other. She flashed him a dazzling smile and he couldn't help but notice that her hand still rested lightly on his shoulder.

"Calleigh," he said, confused. "I didn't know you were coming tonight."

"Well, you don't have to sound so disappointed. Alexx invited me to dinner, too. She, at least, likes my company," she teased in that southern drawl of hers.

"I'm not disappointed, just surprised. I don't mind you being here. I just didn't remember Alexx telling me you were coming." He shook his head, "But then, I didn't remember her telling me about dinner at all. It's been a crazy week." She nodded her agreement and moved her hand off him. The warmth from her fingers lingered.

"That's for sure," she laughed lightly. "Speaking of Alexx, where is she? It's not like her to be late. I know things were quiet when I left work. I would've thought she would've gotten out on time. Poor Eric, he was just tackling his paperwork." Tim smirked, thinking about his buddy's predilection for putting off his paperwork. It always came back to bite him.

"Leave it to Delko, he never learns. Maybe Alexx got held up in traffic. She'll be here shortly."

"I'm sure she will." She smiled brightly at him and the warmth of her smile echoed in her voice. "This place is adorable. I love the look they're going for," she said, looking all around. "I don't know how Alexx heard about it, I think maybe a friend, who had been here recently, told her to give it a try. I feel so out of the loop, I never hear about a place till it's almost a year old." She laughed lightly at her own comment, her eyes sparkling in the light. Her inherent enthusiasm was almost contagious.

He didn't know how she did it, but she seemed to bubble over with an almost child like glee about most everything. But there was nothing childlike about Calleigh. Strong, capable and intelligent, she was just naturally effervescent, about everything from shoes to bullets. In fact, she was the only one he knew who did get excited about bullets. Sometimes he found her exhausting, or just plain annoying, but tonight, she seemed adorable herself. He blinked hard, wondering where that came from, she wasn't someone he normally spent a lot of time thinking about.

The bartender came by then for her drink order but only, Tim noted, after raking his eyes appreciably over her body. She must get that a lot, he thought. If Calleigh noticed, she didn't seem offended by the attention, she just flirted right back at him. Now Tim couldn't help looking at her himself.

Her blonde hair was loose and curling around her shoulders, swaying a bit whenever she laughed, which was often. The scent she had on, perfume, or maybe it was just her shampoo, was pleasantly fragrant, reminding him of a garden. She was no longer wearing what she had worn to work. He had no idea what she had on earlier, but he was certain this wasn't it. This was attire he wouldn't have forgotten.

She was wearing a sleeveless dress in a rich peacock blue that complemented her coloring. The deep V of the dress revealed just a hint of tantalizing cleavage, without being provocative. The fabric hugged her curves in a gentle sloping fashion all the way down her body, ending above her knees and exposing spectacular, shapely legs. She wore a belt loosely draped across her hips that served to emphasize her tiny waist. A sparkling pendant worn around her neck, captured the light and reflected it back onto her face. All of this was perched atop what he thought must be three inch heels and the effect was simply stunning. She was beautiful and judging by the looks she was getting, he wasn't the only one to notice. He briefly wondered if she might be dressed for a date later in the evening.

"This place is nice. It's such a nice night, we can eat outside," she said with a delighted smile on her lips. Jarred from his thoughts, he realized she was still standing and he motioned to the stool next to him, pulling it out for her.

"I guess," he said, still watching her intently.

"Have you been here before?" she asked. He shook his head. "Alexx says the food is wonderful." He cocked his head to the side and continued to look at her like he hadn't seen her before. It was a good thing he didn't see her like this very often, he'd never get any work done. "You look very nice, by the way. I always thought you cleaned up nicely," she told him with a flirtatious smile after casting an unmistakable appreciative eye over him. "Nice jacket," she added as she ran her fingers along the fabric, her eyes never leaving his. He shifted in his seat, averting his eyes from hers, suddenly uncomfortable under her intense and appraising gaze.

"You, uh, look... nice as well," he stammered. He just wasn't good at this and certainly wasn't used to seeing Calleigh in this manner, or being on the receiving end of her flirtations. Their relationship was more businesslike than flirty, he left that kind of thing to Delko. His phone rang just then, giving him a reason to finally look away from her. He checked the caller ID, it was Alexx.

"Alexx?" Calleigh asked. He nodded to her before answering the call.

"Hey Alexx. You got held up? Usually it's me who's keeping you waiting," he chuckled. "She came home? That's too bad, I hope she feels better. No, it's okay, we can do this another time. Not a problem. Yeah, she's here," he said into the phone while he looked over at Calleigh. "Yeah, I'll tell her. See you Monday. Bye." He hung up and put the phone away, before turning to meet Calleigh's many questions.

"What's wrong? Someone sick? Is Alexx stuck at home?" she asked, rapid fire.

"Yeah, seems her daughter came home from her sleep over feeling sick and her husband is still at the football game with her son. She's gonna be stuck at home tonight. Looks like we'll have to do this another time. She said to tell you she's sorry."

"Oh, she's sweet. It's not her fault. I hope it's nothing serious. Poor Alexx, she was so looking forward to this."

"Yeah. We can get going then. It's not too late for you to make other plans." She listened while he spoke, her eyes never leaving his. He watched as a frown marred her delicate features.

"You don't want to stay here and have dinner with me? Is there somewhere else you'd rather be?" she asked, her voice an octave higher.

"No, no, it's not that," he answered, surprised by her reaction. "I just thought that since this was Alexx' idea and she can't be here," his voiced trailed off as he thought about spending the evening alone with her. While she looked like that. He swallowed hard. He didn't know what to think, not while she was still staring at him so intently, with such disappointment in her eyes. Maybe he'd said the wrong thing before. "We can stay... if you want to." He shrugged and she smiled brightly at him, causing him to once again shift uneasily in his chair. "I guess then we should check on the reservation," he said hesitantly and looked away hastily, busying himself with getting out his wallet.

They both motioned to get off their stools at the same time, causing him to inadvertently brush up against her breasts. The stirring he felt was unexpected and he blushed self consciously. She seemed to take no notice and turned away to grab her purse from the bar, before joining along side him. They were silent as they waited to be seated.

tbc


	3. Feels Like A Date

Caution To The Wind

Feels Like A Date

Tim used the time they spent silently waiting to be seated to collect his thoughts. Expecting a friendly dinner out with Alexx, he found himself, instead, about to dine with a different colleague, one who's appearance had thrown him. In more ways than one. He wasn't sure why this change of plans was making him so uncomfortable. It wasn't like he'd never shared a meal with her before. Certainly coffee in the break room and a quick lunch out, as well as the occasional, impromptu dinners at one or another's homes counted as 'dining together'.

"Tim? Are you coming?" Once again, he was spacing out and having a hard time concentrating. He quickly got himself together and followed Calleigh to their table on the patio, even having the foresight to pull the chair out for her.

"It's beautiful out here. From the parking lot, you'd never know this was here. Thanks for agreeing to sit outside," she said in her lilting drawl once they were seated. He looked around. It was dark now with a nearly full moon casting it's beam across the rippling water and a star filled sky.

"Yeah." He took in his surroundings and breathed deeply. "It's a nice night tonight. Not too windy." He really wasn't very good with the small talk and was grateful when the waiter appeared at their table.

"Would you like to see the wine list?" the young man asked, looking directly at Calleigh, her cleavage in particular and ignoring Tim.

"That won't be necessary," Tim said brusquely, looking at the waiter through narrowed and hardened eyes.

"That would be wonderful," Calleigh said at the same time causing the waiter to quickly look between the two in confusion.

"You can go ahead and bring it," Tim said harshly. The waiter nodded and took off like a shot.

Their eyes briefly met across the table. Tim quickly spoke. "I'm sorry Calleigh, I should've asked you first. I just didn't like that guy." He failed to tell her exactly why.

"It's okay," she said softly and turned her gaze to the ocean. He felt badly now for spoiling her good mood. That wasn't what he wanted. The waiter quickly appeared with the wine list and Tim ordered the house wine after concurring with Calleigh, who was still acting subdued.

He tried making conversation, only to conclude, once more, that he really wasn't very good at it. He wasn't usually this tongue tied around her. Hoping to stop the restless agitation that was beginning to make it's presence known inside him, he drew in a sharp breath. With sudden clarity, he realized what was at the root of his problem, this was beginning to feel more like a 'date', than a meal with a colleague. Dates were often work, not always something he enjoyed or felt comfortable on. He needed to stop thinking of this evening as a date. It wasn't a date, it was just a meal.

Across the table, Calleigh was eyeing him quizzically, as if trying to discern what was going on in his head. Looking at her, he was struck by the softness of her features and the way her mouth seemed to curve at the ends even when she wasn't smiling. Her eyes shimmered in a way he never really noticed.

"You look really pretty tonight," he blurted, surprising himself. "I'm glad we decided to stay. This place is really nice," he quickly added, embarrassed by his previous comment. She beamed at him, her delight showing across her face. For reasons he couldn't fathom, this pleased him very much. Her good mood restored, he found he began to relax.

Wine was served and dinner was ordered. This time they had a different waiter, leaving Tim to wonder if he had scared the first one off. Just like the first waiter, this one was another of Calleigh's many admirers, someone else who flirted with her as if Tim wasn't there. She seemed oblivious to it, but Tim couldn't help but notice. Calleigh, on the other hand was intent on telling Tim about her car troubles and her recent run in with a mechanic who disagreed with her assessment of her vehicle's trouble. Her tale was actually pretty amusing, though he tried not to chuckle since she was so serious in her telling and in her need to prove her prowess with cars. He did offer her some advice of his own and the name of his mechanic.

Dinner arrived while he was telling her about the one and only time he totaled a car. It happened in high school, on one of the rare occasions he had taken his father's car. Somehow it slid from it's parking spot, down an embankment and into a stone wall. He doesn't know how it could've happened because he's certain the car was in park. Also, it was night and he was parking at the time. Yes, he admitted, 'that' kind of parking. This just caused a fit of giggles from his table mate and even he began chuckling along with her, as he relived the awful experience of telling his parents and his date's. Fortunately, neither got more than a few bruises. The car did not get off so easily. Nor did his love life, since that was his one and only date with the popular Missy Samuels.

Watching her try to get her laughter under control, he wondered how she had gotten that story out of him. He never talked about growing up, never usually shared personal, let alone embarrassing, information about himself, yet here he was doing just that with Calleigh. Without realizing it, he had moved past his initial awkward, uncomfortable feelings and had relaxed enough to converse easily with her. He was truly enjoying himself. She had a disarming way about her that even he wasn't immune from. That surprised him.

Studying her across the table, he found himself drawn to her eyes like the pull from a magnet. He was intrigued by the secrets he imagined she held there. He suspected there were a whole lot of layers to Calleigh, layers most people never penetrated. It was simpler to assume that what you saw on the surface was all there was. But he knew a little bit about her, just from working closely together. He knew she kept people at arm's length on purpose. She let them think what they wanted. He guessed he was like that in some ways.

He wondered what it was he was seeing in her eyes tonight. Right now, they shimmered with the light from the lantern hanging over their table, but he couldn't read what was behind the gleam. He dropped his gaze, unable to keep looking. Gazing into her eyes was a lot like staring into the sun, he mused. Looking at the sun too long left you momentarily blinded, left you seeing sunspots long after you looked away. Looking at Calleigh didn't leave you blinded, but he suspected her visage stayed with you long after, much like sunspots. He didn't want to test that theory.

Opting for desert, they shared a chocolate mousse cake with a white chocolate filling and a dark chocolate topping. It was decadent and quite possibly the most delicious cake he had ever had. She agreed, eating her portion heartily. When the check came, he was unwilling to take her money. Technically, it wasn't a date, but he still felt bad for making her think he didn't want to have dinner with her earlier, so he decided to treat her to dinner as a way of making it up to her. At least that's what he told himself.

"We can get to the beach from here," she said, pointing to the pathway in front of them. "Want to join me?" Startled from his reverie, he got up from the table expecting to leave. Her comment threw him.

"It's a little late to be going swimming Calleigh and you're not really dressed for it," he chuckled. After the words were out, he had to blink hard to erase thoughts of her in swimming attire or swimming without any attire.

"I wasn't planning on swimming." She laughed lightly. "I meant we could go for a walk." He didn't quite know how to answer her, it wasn't exactly what he had in mind; going home was. She read his discomfort and let him off the hook. "It's okay. It's been a long week. You're probably tired. Thank you so much for dinner, it was wonderful. The food was better than I expected," she paused, "and the company was nice, too. I'll see you Monday morning." She surprised him then, by reaching up and placing a soft kiss on his cheek before walking away.

tbc


	4. Caught Off Guard

Caution To The Wind

Caught Off Guard

It took him a moment to process what had just occurred before he was able to speak. By that point she had turned away and was already heading down the pathway towards the beach. He took in a long, deep breath and let it out slowly. "You're not going home? You're really going to walk the beach?" he called after her, which caused her to stop and turn back to him.

"I'm just not ready to go home. I feel like walking a bit. It's such a beautiful night." She opened her arms and looked all around to emphasize her point. "I'm much too full from dinner, especially after that desert. I'll be fine. Night Tim."

"Yeah, okay. Goodnight Calleigh." He watched her disappearing form, then turned and headed towards the parking lot. Feeling a bit guilty that he didn't accompany her, he reminded himself that they weren't on a date, so he wasn't responsible for seeing her home. She was capable of looking out for herself. Still, it seemed like she was a little disappointed that he wasn't going with her, but he could just be imagining that.

The restaurant and the public beach both shared the same parking lot. Tim wasn't surprised to see a smattering of cars still about when he got to his bike. Climbing on, he took a moment to look around. No matter where he was, it was second nature to survey the landscape, the result of years of making observations in his job. People especially drew his attention, which is why he now found himself staring intently at a mid-thirties male sitting alone in a beat up pickup truck, sucking on a bottle of beer, staring straight ahead. Likely not a threat, he was probably there to forget his troubles. Still, he made Tim pause. He couldn't help but think of Calleigh alone on the beach. And wearing that dress.

Sighing heavily, he climbed off the bike without a second thought and set off in the direction she took. He hurried his pace till he found her ambling along the shoreline, then he slowed down and breathed a deep sigh of relief. He walked towards her, his eyes drawn to her mane of golden hair swaying in the light wind. She was barefoot now he noticed, which made her seem even smaller against the backdrop of the ocean.

"Calleigh," he called out as he approached. He didn't want to startle her. She turned in his direction and waited for him. She smiled broadly when he finally caught up to her.

"I thought you left. You changed your mind?" she asked. He heard the unmistakable sound of hope in her voice.

"I decided to walk with you," he said tentatively. He watched as she studied his face. She was close enough, that even in the moonlight, he detected the flicker of disappointment in her eyes as she deduced his real reason for returning.

"You don't have to, you know. I can take care of myself," she said with a touch of icy indignation.

"Yeah, I know, but you probably shouldn't be wandering alone on the beach at night." She shot him a look of pure, stubborn pride.

" I do have a gun, remember."

He sighed loudly. "I remember." He felt guilty for disappointing her. His reason for joining her obviously wasn't the right one. Then he remembered it wasn't his job to please her. They weren't on a date, they weren't even close friends. Well, maybe they were, he never really thought about it. They walked stiffly in silence.

"Do you go to the beach a lot?" he asked after a spell.

"When I can. When I need to." She didn't elaborate and he didn't press.

"This is nice. I'm glad I joined you," he said and meant it. He stopped walking and turned to face the water. The waves were gently rolling in to shore. Their sound was constant and soothing. He couldn't help but relax out here. In the distance, the dark outlines of ocean vessels with their flickering lights could be seen. He never spent much time at the beach. Whenever he did go, he couldn't help but think of all the beach crime scenes he'd processed. He hated looking for evidence at the beach, sifting through all the sand, worrying he'd miss some crucial piece of evidence.

"Yeah, it is," she said, taking in a deep breath. "I never get tired of it." Her tone was thawing he noticed.

"It's pretty peaceful. I never spend much time on the beach," he said. He stole a glance and noticed she was rubbing her arms. "Cold?" he asked.

"A little," she answered. He slipped off his jacket and awkwardly placed it around her shoulders. His fingers grazed her skin and it was impossible not to notice how silky it felt under his fingertips. It was also impossible not to notice how her body shuddered under his touch, although maybe it was just from the night chill. "Thanks," she said softly, giving him a small smile.

"How do you do it? How do you come here and not think of all the horrible things we see at the beach?" he asked.

"Well, if you think about it, we see horrible things everywhere. I come here to forget all that," she answered.

"You never think about sifting through all that sand for evidence?"

She laughed lightly, he loved the way it sounded. "I try to see the beauty, not the crime scene. It's not all bad, you know. You have trouble remembering that sometimes."

That was the thing about Calleigh, she never seemed to lose sight of the beauty. He did tend to forget it existed, he was just surprised she noticed that about him. They walked closely without touching, but he was very aware of her nearness. He liked the fact that she didn't seem to expect anything of him. Their silences were comfortable. He felt more relaxed tonight than he had in a long time. 'Must be the beach,' he thought. Her soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

"There's a small beach not far from my apartment and sometimes I go there after work for a run along the shore. It's a good workout, especially after a tough day. Helps relieve stress." He nodded in her direction and noticed she was staring out at the ocean while she walked. "Other times, I walk along the beach at night to clear my head. But sometimes, sometimes I just need to stand here, look out at the horizon and know that if I really need to, I can find a place to disappear. Leave everything behind, every burden, every responsibility, every sadness," she paused and he realized they had stopped walking. "Just disappear. That would be nice." She was quiet a moment, still staring straight ahead. "There's something about the vastness of the ocean that makes me see the possibilities of going very far away." She turned to him, caught his eyes and held them for just a moment before turning her gaze back to the ocean. "I won't ever do it. I don't think I could ever just walk away and leave things unfinished, at least for very long." She laughed lightly. "But sometimes I need to think that I can and that makes me feel... better."

She began walking again and he stayed by her side. Aware he hadn't spoken, it was seemed enough that he had listened. He often wondered how she retained her good nature despite the harsh realities of her job and the problems her family sometimes gave her, as well as the past she never talked about. He tried to picture her standing alone by the ocean wishing she could find a place to disappear. It was a sharp contrast to the Calleigh she presented to the world and the one he thought he knew. He wasn't sure why she had stripped this layer away for him.

"It's the same reason you have your bike," she said, interrupting his reverie.

"I don't follow," he said confused.

"Your bike is your freedom, your means to disappear," she said with a knowing look.

"My bike is my main means of transportation. I happen to prefer it over my car." He said defensively. He wondered why she thought she knew him. He couldn't imagine her spending any time thinking about him.

"No, it's more than that. It's always there, your means to escape, anytime you need it." She sounded so sure of herself.

"A car would serve the same purpose," he pointed out.

"No, it's different with a car. Think about it. With the bike there's no packing, no maps, no traffic jams. You just get on and go, as fast as you want, as far as you want, without having to think much about it. Maybe the sense of freedom it provides is all in your head, but it's there just the same." She faced him now and focused her gaze on him so intently, he thought she was seeing through him. The effect left him feeling exposed and uncomfortable. "But you already know this." He looked away from her, turned his gaze to the horizon. "I always know when you get to that point," she continued. "Sometimes I wonder if you really will just vanish. But you always come back and you seem different somehow... better." Her voice grew very soft and she turned again to watch the waves. "Everyone finds what works. I go to the beach."

He was at a loss for words. She was absolutely right. He, too, sometimes wondered if he would simply vanish. But he always came back. He figured what ever he was trying to escape, would just follow. For whatever reason, he usually did feel better when he came back, maybe it was because he knew he could always leave again. Because he always had his bike. Without a word they turned and started the silent walk back.

Reaching the parking lot, he walked her over to her car. She stood at the door and wordlessly handed him back his jacket. He hadn't looked at her once the entire walk back, but now that she was in front of him, he couldn't look away. She reached up and for the second time that evening, placed her lips lightly on his cheek. This time she held them there for only a flitting moment before moving away. She turned to face him as his gaze traveled over her face and searched her eyes. He saw a longing there that ignited something inside of him.

Instinctively his lips found hers and the sensation passed through him like a bolt of electricity. Her lips parted as his mouth moved over hers with an unexpected intensity. The feeling of her velvet soft lips under his sent his pulse racing and his thoughts spinning. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her tight against his body, completely forgetting they were standing in the parking lot. He felt her hand go to the back of his neck, her fingers threading through his hair, sending shivers down his back.

Raising his mouth from hers, he gazed into her eyes as she opened them. He was overwhelmed by the look of trust he saw there. A fleeting moment of panic washed over him, causing his heart to pound uncomfortably in his chest. Panting slightly, he held her close, feeling her warm breath on his face. Uncertain how to make the panic subside and unwilling to think about anything, he gave in to his overriding desire for her.

His lips recaptured hers, each kiss more demanding than the one before it. His mouth covered hers hungrily, his tongue exploring the recesses of her mouth. By the time they broke apart, he knew he was almost past the point of no return and that thought terrified him.

He placed his palm on her cheek, feeling the warmth there, then trailed his thumb over her swollen, moist lips. His eyes downcast, he was no longer able to meet her gaze. But it was too late, he had stared at the sun too long this time and he knew her image would remain long after he looked away.

"I have to go," he said, his voice a rough whisper. He knew he owed her more than that, but he didn't trust himself to speak. He let her go, never once meeting her eyes and walked to his bike. He climbed on and waited till he heard her door open and close and her engine start up, before he looked back in her direction. He watched until he could no longer see her taillights, then set off in the darkness.

tbc


	5. Change of Heart

Caution To The Wind

Change of Heart

He rode unthinking for a long time, enjoying the speed, letting the wind roll off his body. Hoping to fall into bed exhausted, he stayed out until it was impossible to ignore the chill of the night, or his growing fatigue. Finally arriving home over an hour later, he crawled into bed only to be denied sleep. Each time he closed his eyes, her face appeared before him, bringing with it the memory of her lips pressed against his. It was a fitful night with little sleep.

For the remainder of the weekend, Tim holed up in his apartment, seeing no one. There was a deadline looming over his head on the forensics journal article he was writing. Grateful for the distraction, he focused all of his attention on this assignment. Science worked it's magic on him as well as the bike did. He had the ability to block out everything but the work. His focus was so intense that when he put his mind to it, he could detach from everything else around him. It's why he did well in his job, but it was a double edged sword, because sometimes a case stayed with him long after it was closed, simply because he was completely immersed in it. The science was pure and simple, dealing with the evidence was easy. But dealing with the people affected by the crimes never was. Truth be told, sometimes the job got to him.

By the time Monday morning rolled around, his article was completed and he was finally able to put Calleigh, along with their non date out of his mind. He felt confident they could be coworkers and he supposed, friends, without any difficulty. After all, it was just a kiss. There was nothing behind it. Just the heat of the moment.

Seeing her in the break room Monday morning tested his confidence in that theory. She was her usual effervescent self, but he noticed she was smiling at him more than usual. As for him, the moment he saw her she was right back on his mind along with heated thoughts about that kiss. The sensations he had worked hard to push away were trickling back to the forefront. And there was something in her eyes, something indefinable that made him uncomfortable. He left the room quickly, muttering about trace results he needed to check. He was grateful when his pager alerted, providing him with an immediate diversion and allowing the disquiet to subside. He hurried to meet Horatio at the Hummer.

After spending the morning at a crime scene, Tim spent the afternoon hidden away in the trace lab, hunched over his microscope with his headphones on. He had seen Calleigh only once and briefly at that, but there was no recurrence of the panic feeling. He was back in control. In fact, he felt nothing at all, just like usual. And that's exactly how he wanted it.

He never heard her approach, it was only when she placed her hand on his arm that he looked up, startled. He eyed her, drew in a breath and blinked rapidly.

"Hey," she said. "You've been busy today."

"Yeah. You got something for me?" he asked, grateful to see an evidence envelope in her hand. Her nearness was making him very uncomfortable.

"I have a bullet with traces of something on it, not DNA, maybe an oil or something else all together. Take a look at it when you get a chance?" Her voice held a note of excitement. Only Calleigh could get enthused about bullets.

"No problem," he said, nodding his head. He glanced at her, but didn't meet her gaze, instead his eyes found her lips. He blinked quickly and refocused his gaze on the envelope she had given him. It was too late, his mind had gone back to that kiss. He shifted in his seat, tried to quickly banish the thought without much success. She leaned in to him with her head tilted and her chin raised as she continued talking. It wasn't helping any to take his mind off kissing her.

"I had a nice time at dinner the other night. The food was so good. And I liked spending time with you." He had hoped the bullet was all there was to this visit, but it seemed she was just getting started. "Alexx wanted to hear all about it. She was disappointed she had to cancel, especially when I told her about that cake." At the sound of Alexx' name, he realized that along with Calleigh, he had been avoiding her as well. He briefly glanced in Calleigh's direction and couldn't help but be amused by the expression on her face as she remembered that cake. "I told her we would have to go there again before it gets discovered by the masses and you can no longer get a table." She paused, leaving him to wonder if she was waiting for him to say something.

"Yeah, that would be a shame," he said, his eyes darting nervously. He didn't want to keep this conversation going. "Did you have anything else for me?"

"Well, that depends," she said with a flirty smile. 'Great', he thought, 'now she's flirting with me. This can't be happening'.

"Um, why don't I get started on your bullet. I'll page you with the results."

"That's okay, I'll wait," she said with a lilt in her voice. He sighed loudly, but before he could get started on her bullet her pager went off, then his. Grabbing the device, he quickly read the message. "Looks like the bullet will have to wait. We gotta go. Yet another dead body awaits us."

"I owe you a dinner," she said as they walked together out of the lab.

"What?" He was confused for a moment. "That's okay, you don't owe me dinner."

"No, I want to. We're out early on Thursday, are you free after work?" she asked. He stopped walking and turned around to look directly at her. There was absolutely no way he was going to say 'yes' to dinner. There was nothing going on between them and she had to know that. She leaned slightly into him, tilting her face towards his. He closed his eyes for an instant, but found he couldn't look away from her. Her eyes were magnetic, pulling him in. She looked so hopeful. He couldn't bring himself to say 'no', to disappoint her, despite the unease rising inside him.

"Uh, sure, I guess." His gaze lowered along with his voice. He saw Eric was waiting for them in the hallway and breathed in deeply, feeling relieved. This conversation was over, at least for now.

Over the next two days, there were no breaks for anyone on the team. Tim had limited interaction with Calleigh, but it didn't stop him from thinking about her. She was on his mind when he least expected it. No matter how many times he thought about her though, he always came to the same conclusion. He couldn't have dinner with her, not without making it clear that what happened between them, whatever it was, was a mistake and could never be repeated. The problem was, he couldn't explain what happened that night, so it wasn't a conversation he was in any hurry for.

By late Wednesday afternoon, he had finally made his decision, the one he should have made in the first place. He could not get involved with Calleigh, if that was even where this was headed.

He sought her out in the ballistics lab. It was quiet there, no one was ever around and they could speak privately. As expected, she was alone, running bullet comparisons. He watched her work for a moment, then took in a deep breath before entering. She turned her head as he approached and flashed him a beaming smile. That smile sent his pulse racing and stopped him in his tracks. He stood still trying to gather his wits.

"Hey there. What brings you to my domain?" she asked from her perch on the stool.

"Looking for you. Uh, it's about dinner tomorrow," he mumbled hastily, as he walked towards her.

"I was thinking between 6:30 and 7. Does that work for you?" She had her gaze fixed on him, but he had trouble meeting it. This was harder than he thought and for a second, he had misgivings about what he was going to do.

"I don't think it would be a good idea if we went to dinner," he told her finally. His eyes darted around the room while he spoke.

"Oh," she said, surprised. She paused a moment, as if collecting her thoughts. He cast her a sideways glance. "Do you mean tomorrow night or at all?" she asked, her voice an octave higher now.

"Both." He noticed her smile had vanished and her eyes had widened. "I just don't think it's a good idea to see each other outside of work... alone," he said with finality. He saw a flicker of hurt flash in her eyes as he spoke, but she quickly lowered her lashes.

"It was just dinner Tim. Nothing else," she said without emotion, but her eyes had told all.

"I know that. I wasn't assuming it was more than that," he said, feeling his frustration building and wondering now if he had indeed made the wrong assumption. "But we had dinner the other night and it seemed... like it was more than that." He hesitated before continuing. "I just don't think it's a good idea ..." he said, letting his voice trail off before finishing his thought. He shifted his weight from side to side and stuffed his hands in his pocket, only to pull them out again.

"What exactly was that the other night?" she asked pointedly.

"I don't honestly know," he answered, far more honestly than he had planned. "I'm sorry about dinner. I really am. I'll see you later," he said softly. He left without looking at her, feeling worse than when he walked in.

tbc


	6. An Icy Wind

Caution To The Wind

An Icy Wind

"Hey, I just remembered, we're out early this afternoon for a change. What do you say we go out tonight, do something?" The voice of Eric Delko lobbed across the trace lab startling Tim. He raised his head from the microscope to quickly eye his friend.

Mindful of the fact that he spent most of last weekend working on his article and also that he hadn't been out with Delko in awhile, Tim replied without a second thought. "Yeah. Sure." Only after he glanced down the length of the table did he notice Calleigh. He'd forgotten she was in the room. He'd also forgotten that tonight was the night he was supposed to be having dinner with her. That is, until he'd canceled. He caught her eyes and met her scrutinizing look, then quickly dropped his gaze.

"I'll pick you up between 6:30 and 7:00. We'll go someplace with good music. Check out the action. If you want, we can get something to eat first," Eric continued, obviously unaware of the recent drop in the room temperature.

"Seven's fine," Tim mumbled. He wanted to be anywhere but where he was. His insides churned. He glanced in her direction once more. She stared wordlessly back at him. Her intent gaze only heightened his discomfort.

"How 'bout you Calleigh? You busy tonight? Want to join us?" Eric asked. 'He would do that,' Tim thought and groaned inwardly. He tried to put his focus back on the slide under the microscope.

"No thank you," she said with what sounded like forced cheerfulness. "I think I can find my own amusement for the night."

"You sure? We're pretty fun," he persisted, much to Tim's discomfort.

"Oh, I'm sure. I'm certain I won't be missing anything all that special," she said. Tim felt confident that the last statement, dripped in honey coated sarcasm, was intended for him. "See ya'll later," she said with a pronounced drawl. She walked past him on her way out and Tim felt an icy chill down his back.

"See ya later Calleigh," Eric called after her, still oblivious to the tension in the room. "Enjoy your night."

Their paths didn't cross for the remainder of the day. As far as Tim was concerned, that was probably a good thing. Still, he couldn't help but feel guilty about what had happened between them. An icy wind had blown through, all because of a really heated kiss. Actually, several really heated kisses.

He wondered how long it would take them to get past this. He didn't like this new chill between them, but he had to admit it was likely his fault. They had always worked well together in the past. Tension between them now would change that dynamic. That was another reason why he could never get involved with her, as if he even needed another one. He wasn't interested in her that way and wasn't looking for that kind of involvement. What he needed was to stop thinking about her altogether. He didn't appreciate that she was constantly popping up in his thoughts.

Eric picked him up at seven sharp and the two grabbed a quick bite before heading to the club. Being with Eric was comfortable and easy. Tim hadn't had a friend like that in years. Actually, Tim had never had a friend with a personality quite like Eric Delko's. He was the kind of guy Tim never hung out with when he was younger. They worked well together and their friendship was a direct result of their close work relationship. Although they could be competitive at times, they always had each other's back. Tim knew that Eric thought of him as a brother and Tim felt the same way about Eric.

The two hit one of their favorite music clubs. Located away from the fashionable hot spots that dotted the city's landscape, it wasn't one the tourists often frequented. Unlike Delko, who made a beeline for the first available female to drag to the dance floor, Tim made his way to the bar. He wasn't one for dancing, but he liked the music and as long as he had a beer in his hand, he was good.

While Eric might be described as a bit of a player, Tim could never be described as such. Living more on the socially awkward side of the street, he none the less managed to attract his fair share of female attention. Something about his dark, brooding looks and attitude attracted an assortment of ladies and tonight was no exception. A petite brunette with shoulder length hair was soon by his elbow. He cast an appraising eye over her. She was certainly attractive and looked nothing like the blonde that had been occupying his thoughts of late. She caught him looking and flashed an inviting smile. Although he didn't return her smile, his features brightened and his eyes held a gleam of interest as he studied her. It was all the encouragement she needed. She used the next break in music to introduce herself. Usually shy and reticent, he did best in situations like this when the music was loud and minimal conversation was expected.

His admirer was a legal secretary named Amy, he discovered. Despite making the first move towards him, there was nothing aggressive about her personality. Quiet and shy, she was nothing like the women he usually attracted in these places. Between the two of them, there was little conversing, which was how Tim liked it. He managed to find out a little about her without having to reveal much about himself. Out with a group of coworkers, she admitted that she didn't often go to clubs, preferring quieter activities instead. On this occasion, she had been cajoled by her friends into joining them.

Eric caught Tim's eye from across the room and cast him a grin of approval, which Tim tried to ignore. He maintained his position at the bar, having bits of conversation with Amy till she left with her friends. He was grateful she didn't seem interested in dancing. Before leaving, she nervously handed him her phone number, even though he hadn't asked for it. It wasn't his habit to date women he met in bars or clubs, although he did sometimes make exceptions. He wondered if this would be one of those times. She was pleasant, didn't talk a lot or expect anything from him. Maybe he would give her a call, after all, he hadn't met anyone he liked enough to date in awhile. 'What could it hurt?' he mused. A flash of memory took him back to his dinner with Calleigh, but he quickly pushed that aside.

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

Tim downed the remainder of his now cold take out coffee on his way into the break room. He desperately needed another cup. He hated mornings like this. They were usually a sign that his whole day would suck.

"Nice of you to join us," joked Eric, as he took in Tim's bleary, disheveled appearance. "Did you sleep in your clothes or just pick them up from a heap on the floor?"

"Funny," Tim replied sarcastically, aware now that Calleigh was also in the room. He tried to ignore the discomfort he felt rising at the sight of her as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"You must not have made it home from wherever you were last night, cause you look like hell and you're wearing yesterday's clothes." Obviously, Eric was not to be deterred from his observations.

"Shut up Delko." He tried flashing him a look of contempt, but Eric was oblivious. He, on the other hand would've had to have been blind not to notice the cold glare Calleigh was sending in his direction. They'd had very little contact over the past couple of weeks. She seemed to prefer pretending that he didn't exist.

"Amy again? Two weeks is it now? This must be some sort of a record for you." Eric chuckled, finding himself amusing. Tim felt the heat on his cheeks and wondered if ignoring Delko would shut him up. Fortunately, he was saved by Horatio's appearance at the doorway calling them into the layout room. Tim did his best to stay out of Calleigh's way, especially avoiding her eyes.

"Delko you're an ass sometimes," he snapped before leaving the room.

"What? What'd I say?" Eric asked innocently. Tim just shook his head and shot him a look of disgust. But it wasn't Delko he was disgusted with.

Tim knew he looked like hell and at the moment, he felt like it, too. He'd overslept and hadn't had time to get home before getting to work. It was the first time he'd spent the night with Amy, who lived a fair distance from downtown. He'd had apprehensions about staying with her last night and wished now that he'd acted on them.

They had dated a few times since he'd made the decision to call her and it was pleasant enough. It was possible she talked even less than he did, which surprisingly, wasn't as appealing as he first thought it would be. Last night was feeling more and more like a mistake. He liked her, he just didn't like her enough. It wasn't about shared interests or things in common, they seemed to have those. No, this was something different. He felt no connection to her. And no real passion, not the kind that left an indelible imprint. He knew what that felt like, had felt it not that long ago. It just wasn't something he allowed himself to dwell on.

Standing around the table in the lay out room, they listened to Horatio outline what further evidence they needed in order to bring the triple homicide they were currently working on to conclusion. He felt her eyes boring into him and despite the knot forming in his gut, he looked up and met her icy gaze straight on. Those magnetic eyes pulled him in and he couldn't look away. No matter how much he wanted to.

tbc


	7. Missed Opportunities

Caution To The Wind

Missed Opportunities

"Timmy you've been holding out on me," Alexx remarked. She was kneeling over a female body sprawled on the sidewalk in front of the ATM, checking for evidence of trauma and cause of death, while Tim photographed the scene.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused by her comment. He moved the camera out of the way so he could get a better look at her.

"Eric tells me he's met your new girlfriend, the one you've told me nothing about," she chastised.

He groaned. Figured Eric wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut. He should never have let Delko talk him into that double date. Delko had been pestering him to meet Amy ever since he found out Tim had called her. He acted like Tim had never been out with a girl before. The two had hit it off right away. Eric liked Amy, maybe more than Tim did. He thought the two were a good match. Tim wasn't quite sure he agreed with that assessment.

"She's not exactly my girlfriend," he replied and went back to snapping photos, knowing Alexx wasn't going to let this rest.

"What exactly does that mean, she's not 'exactly' your girlfriend?" she asked, looking at him from under arched eyebrows.

"We've just gone out a few times. It's nothing serious." Alexx answered that statement with a scrutinizing look. "It's really nothing." He shrugged matter of factly.

"It's really nothing," she repeated. He didn't like the sound of that.

"What?" he asked, dreading her answer?

"So why are you dating a girl that your friend seems more enthusiastic about than you do?" she asked bluntly. "And does this girl agree with you, that it's 'really nothing'?"

Good questions. Figures Alexx would hit the nail on the head. He could always count on her to be straight with him, even when he didn't want to hear it. These were questions he'd been asking himself lately. Honestly, he didn't know what he wanted. He got lonely sometimes and liked going out, but with Amy, it always felt more like friends. And it felt like work, at least for him. There was just no spark between them.

He gave an impatient shrug. It was time for this conversation to be over. "I don't know," he said resignedly.

"Well Baby, maybe you better figure that out," she told him.

She was right. He exhaled heavily and wandered over to the ATM where Delko was dusting for prints. If Delko thought Amy was his girlfriend, was there a good chance Amy thought that as well? She was too nice for him to be anything less than honest with her. He shouldn't have let it get this far. Whatever it was he was looking for, he hadn't found it with Amy. Just as well, he thought, he didn't want a girlfriend anyway. She was a distraction, maybe, but nothing more than that.

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

He leaned on the counter watching the coffee maker slowly drip. This was shaping up to be one of the worst weeks. If he closed his eyes it would be all over. He had just worked his second double and he was feeling the effects full on. He was irritable with just about everyone and didn't care. To top it off, he'd finally seen Amy on his only free night and told her that 'friends' was all he wanted. She admitted to him that his disclosure came as no surprise. In her opinion he was always preoccupied and often distant. She confessed she barely knew him at all. At first her comments surprised him, but he knew she spoke the truth. He hadn't invested much of himself in the relationship, because he never really wanted one, at least not with her. It was over, that was all that mattered.

Right now, the only thing he needed was caffeine to help keep him awake for the ride home or Alexx was going to be seeing his body on her table. Horatio graciously decided to send he and Delko home for some rest after they spent the past 27 hours working. He had no choice; they were both about to keel over.

The two of them got called in at 4:00 AM for three dead high school students, found, where else, but on the beach. Looked like a party gone very wrong. Three dead bodies, three different causes of death. They were at the beach until nightfall, collecting evidence and processing the site. It was just the two of them because Calleigh was out of town giving a lecture; Horatio was stuck in court and then had another case to work. The night shift was no help because they had their own cases to deal with. The pair still had quite a lot to do this morning, but it could wait a few hours while they slept.

"Good morning," a cheerful voice behind him drawled. He grunted a response. "I'm glad there's coffee," she chirped. She sidled up next to him and he quickly moved out of her way, but not before he saw the look of distaste cross her face. "You know Tim, it wouldn't be a bad idea if you kept a change of clothes in your locker for these mornings," she said as she wrinkled her nose, "that you don't seem to make it home first. It's not a very professional look you're sporting." She had a tightlipped smile in place as she spoke.

He raised both eyebrows and looked at her with narrow, darkened eyes. Choosing to ignore her comment, he plopped himself down on the couch to sip the hot brew.

Of course, she thought he was showing up after a night of... of who knows what. He took stock of himself as he rubbed the day old stubble on his face. His clothes were wrinkled and not quite clean. He was also not exactly the best smelling inhabitant in the room. Besides his day old odor, there was a faint whiff of beer on him, complements of Delko spilling one of the half drunk bottles of evidence on him. Why wouldn't she think the worst of him, she had no reason not to. He supposed he could tell her he'd worked all night, but there seemed to be no point.

A weary Delko chose that moment to drag himself into the room. "I'm starving. Let's get breakfast. I'll drive."

"Yeah, okay," Tim mumbled and gulped down the rest of his coffee.

"I gotta drop these files off. Meet me in the locker room," Eric told him.

"Wait a minute, you're leaving?" Calleigh asked, confused.

"Yeah, you're on your own till this afternoon," Eric replied with a feeble chuckle.

"Why do you get to go out to breakfast and have the morning off?" she persisted.

"Cause we've been here since 4 AM yesterday," he emphasized, "and someone thought we might want to sleep, for at least a couple hours. We'll be back soon. Hope your day is better than ours was yesterday," he told her with a tired smirk before leaving the room.

She looked over at Tim who was rinsing his cup in the sink. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't know you had been here all night," she said, clearly embarrassed. "You must be exhausted." Their eyes met briefly, but he looked away, not caring to see the concern that had replaced her earlier disgust.

"Doesn't matter," he said, because it no longer did. She could think what she wanted; he was tired of thinking about her all the time. He left the room without another word.

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

Horatio handed out the day's assignments and once again Tim was paired up with Delko. Over the past couple of weeks, he noticed he didn't work often with Calleigh. He wasn't sure if it was coincidence or whether Horatio had observed some tension between the two. It wasn't Calleigh's fault, she had gone out her way to be nice to him since that morning in the break room, but he needed to steer clear of her for awhile. He didn't know why, she just bugged him, like a splinter under the skin.

She had even invited him to lunch with her, kind of out of the blue. He was busy at the time, so he had an excuse, not that she looked like she believed him. Truthfully, he could've gone with her, he wasn't doing anything that couldn't wait. But he still couldn't bring himself to be alone with her.

Tim and Eric got handed a crime scene across town, a foiled grocery store robbery that left one dead and one wounded. The alleged robber was dead, so this case wouldn't take much time to close. After finishing at the site, Tim headed to trace while Eric headed to autopsy.

"Hey. I got the report from Alexx and I got hits off the prints. This is all for you now. I gotta go take over for Calleigh at that gang shooting," Eric said, handing Tim files after joining him in the lab.

"Why?" Tim asked, noticing the anxiety on his friend's face.

Eric shot him a look of surprise. "You didn't hear?" Tim shook his head. He hadn't left the lab since getting back. "Someone took a shot at her while they were finishing up at the scene of that gang murder," Eric told him, not disguising his fury. Hearing the words, Tim took a sharp intake of breath and felt his stomach lurch. He didn't want to imagine her hurt or worse...

"She okay?" he asked in a choked voice. A wave of apprehension coursed through him and he fought to keep his emotions under control.

Eric nodded vigorously. "Yeah. She's fine, just grazed her upper arm. The next bullet missed her and hit the witness she was questioning. Killed the witness, a young woman who was probably the intended target all along. H made Calleigh get checked out, despite her protests. You know Calleigh, nothing is ever really wrong." Tim nodded, still trying to get the image of someone taking a shot at Calleigh out of his mind. "H thought she was more shaken up then she let on, so he wanted her to go home. But I doubt that she will." Listening to Eric, his voice and rapid speech led Tim to believe that he was pretty shaken up as well.

Tim spent the remainder of the day trying not to think about Calleigh and coming up with any excuse he could not to go see her. Why was it that the minute he got his head finally cleared of her, she was back on his mind again? Of course, he reasoned, if someone had taken a shot at H or Delko, he'd be concerned about them as well. He just wouldn't be thinking of reasons not to go see them. Somehow everything was different where Calleigh was concerned. Finally, by late afternoon, he could no longer talk himself out of seeing her. He had to know she was okay.

He spotted her in the hallway talking to Horatio. Her back was to him, but he could see the bandage on her left upper arm. Otherwise she seemed unhurt and he exhaled a deep breath of relief. Standing with his head tilted towards her, Horatio was wearing his soothing, comfort expression as he spoke. Tim decided this wasn't a good time to intrude and went back to his lab.

Leaving work late that evening, Tim took a different route home than he normally did. This drive took him suspiciously close to Calleigh's apartment, more specifically, to the beach he knew she frequented. Something told him if he parked his bike and walked along the shoreline, he'd find her. He'd find her standing in front of the ocean looking for a place to disappear, or maybe just trying to forget. In his mind, he could see her standing small and alone in front of the vastness of the sea. She'd tell everyone she was 'fine' and probably do a good job of convincing them, but he knew she probably wasn't.

He thought about stopping, but he didn't. He was worried about her, but he was more worried about what might happen if he found her. That was just something he couldn't deal with. Turning the bike around, he sped off in the direction from which he came.

tbc


	8. Admissions and Admirers

Caution To The Wind

Admissions and Admirers

It had been two days since her injury and Tim still hadn't spoken to Calleigh. She was off one day and he was in court for part of the next. When they were in the building at the same time, he'd gone out of his way to avoid her. The fact was, she'd been on his mind constantly since the shooting, but he didn't know what to do about it. He planned to find her that afternoon and finally talk to her, but she found him first. She came into the trace lab with some samples for him to analyze, telling him she needed them right away. An uneasy silence settled between them while he got her samples ready.

"Your arm, it's okay?" he asked hesitantly.

"I can do my job just fine if that's what your concerned about," she answered without looking at him. He cast a sideways glance at her and noticed her hardened expression. He sighed loudly.

"That's not what I meant. I meant, does it hurt, are you okay, not, are you okay to do your job," he explained.

"It was barely a scratch and it's practically healed. It happened two days ago." A chill hung to her words and he suspected that was a message for him. A message that he got and one he definitely deserved. She quickly changed the subject by asking him a question about some results she had gotten earlier. He answered, not surprised that she didn't want to talk about the shooting with him.

But he wasn't ready to drop the subject, so he tried again. Horatio had filled him in on all of the details of that day and of her injury. He knew for a fact that it was more than a scratch. She was lucky it hadn't been worse. The bullet didn't penetrate her arm, it had only grazed the surface or she would've been out of work for a while. As it was, the next bullet hit the young woman standing with her in the neck. It had been a very bloody mess. All together it was a grim reminder of the risks they faced each day and stood out as the main reason why he could never get involved with someone who put their life in jeopardy as he did. Or probably ever get serious about anyone himself.

"Are you really okay? I know what happened," he said quietly.

"I told you I'm fine," she said with aggravated impatience. He turned his head to the side, meeting her gaze and holding it.

"No you're not." His brown eyes bore into her green ones. He continued quickly before she could disagree. "I can see it in your eyes. You shouldn't be okay. Someone took a shot at you. You could've been hurt a lot worse than you were. As it was, a woman standing next to you was shot and killed. Don't tell me that it doesn't bother you, that you don't lay awake thinking about it, because I know that's not true." He took in a deep breath, but wasn't finished. Everything he'd been holding in was starting to come out. He never talked about his own experience of being shot, not since the day it occurred and barely even then. "I know what it's like. It bothered me for a long time, a really long time. I didn't talk to anyone about it. Maybe I should've." He stopped looking at her and just stared straight ahead.

"It's not the same Tim. I took a bullet by mistake and barely got hurt. You were shot, up close. If you didn't have the vest on..." She didn't finish, because she didn't have to, they both knew.

"Shot is shot. There's no difference, not to the people who care about you." His voice was halted; he hadn't planned on saying that. "I'm just saying, don't say you're okay when you're not. It's all right not to be. You can talk, you know, if you need to. I mean you can talk to me, anytime. I'll listen." He held her gaze once more. Her eyes shimmered. Were those tears he was seeing? He wondered. She looked away from him for a moment then fixed her gaze on him once more.

"It does bother me. The shooting itself, being shot, yes, it's all on my mind. It happened so quickly. It just plays over and over in my head, you know?" He nodded. "Mostly, I'm angry, at the shooter and at myself. I should've done something, reacted quicker. That woman, she shouldn't be dead." He could hear the anger in her voice as she spoke, but it wasn't evident in her eyes. In her eyes he saw the pain and guilt she carried. He wished there was some way to comfort her. If only he hadn't waited so long to talk to her.

"Calleigh there was nothing you could've done differently. You have to know that. He shot at you first. You couldn't have prevented her death. Sometimes events are out of your control. You had no way of knowing what was coming." They were empty words to her right now; he knew that better than anyone. It would take time for her to work this through; all he could really do was listen. He took in a deep breath. "I'm just glad you didn't get hurt worse than you did."

She didn't answer right away, but when she did, the anger was gone from her voice. "I'll be okay Tim. I will be. Thank you though, for caring." He nodded. The alert sounded, letting them know the results were ready. She took them from him and explained that she needed to get back to her suspect. Before she walked off, she turned to him and smiled. He'd seen her smile countless times, but it never made his heart flutter the way it did just then.

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

As luck would have it, Tim got paired with Calleigh on a case the very next day. For the first time in long while, he was happy to be working with her, confident they could be friends and colleagues the way they always were. He hoped his mood swings where Calleigh was concerned were a thing of the past. The two were off to one of Miami's many private golf clubs, where the body of a male teen had been found on the thirteenth green. A small crowd of onlookers, all dressed for a round of golf had gathered behind the yellow tape.

The pair moved under the tape and met Alexx who was finishing up with the body. She greeted them in her usual good spirits.

"What'cha got Alexx?" Tim asked.

"Young male, between sixteen and nineteen. Found by one of the groundskeepers making his rounds shortly after the course opened for the day."

"Any ID?" Calleigh asked. Alexx shook her head. "Think he's a member? This is a pretty upscale club."

"This young man didn't come here to play any golf. No shirt, no shoes, " she said before being interrupted.

"No service?" Tim asked. Alexx shook her head, chuckling softly.

"I was going to say, no clubs," Alexx gently admonished.

"Lots of blood. Do we have a cause of death?" Calleigh asked, after giving the area a sweeping look.

"Looks like blunt force trauma to the head. Multiple blows to this poor baby. Someone wanted him really dead," she said, her tone once again serious. She gently stroked his forehead. "Much too soon for you, Sugar."

"Any ideas on a weapon? A golf club, maybe, that the killer then took with them?" Calleigh questioned.

"I've got ideas. I'll know better when I get him on my table. Time of death based on liver temperature, no more than three hours ago." Alexx motioned to the handlers that she was ready to move the body. "I'll send any trace to you Timmy."

"Thanks Alexx."

Tim scanned the grass for any thing the killer may have left behind, while Calleigh photographed and collected blood evidence. One of the uniforms approached Tim.

"Excuse me Detective. There's a guy over there who wants to talk to you." He motioned to a nattily dressed gentleman with a deep tan; obviously a golfer and Tim squinted in that direction. "Actually, he asked to speak with Detective Duquesne, but she's on her phone right now."

"Who is he and what does he want?" Tim asked with irritation.

"Says he's the club golf pro and he didn't say what he wanted, just that he wanted to speak with her," the officer told him. Tim exhaled heavily. The two walked to where the man stood. Tim flashed his badge.

"Something you wanted, Sir?" Tim asked with annoyance. The gentleman was clearly disappointed to be speaking with Tim instead of Calleigh and it showed on his face, but he quickly recouped and extended his hand.

"Jason Lymon, resident golf pro," he said by way of introduction. Tim ignored his outstretched hand. "I'm an expert on this course and I'd like to offer my services to you and the other detective," he said, while looking over at Calleigh. Tim shot him an incredulous look.

"That's wonderful. If we want a tour or golf tips, we'll call you. Right now, I'm in the midst of a murder investigation and unless you have some knowledge of the victim or his killer, you're wasting my time." Tim sized the guy up quickly and decided he didn't like him. He walked away and found the homicide detective assigned to the case.

"Check this jackass out. Make sure he's got a solid alibi. I want to know why he's hanging around," he told the detective.

He went back to work, keeping an eye on the so-called resident golf pro. He watched as the detective questioned him and he watched as the jerk continued to gape at Calleigh. A short while later the detective collaborated the guy's story. He was indeed the golf pro and had been instructing an early bird class on the far end of the course at the driving range from 5:30 AM until the body was found. There were many witnesses who could vouch for him.

"Looks like he's just an interested bystander," the detective told him. Tim shook his head. The only thing this guy was interested in was Calleigh.

Tim busied himself carrying gear and evidence back to the truck since they were about done. He wandered back surprised to find Calleigh talking animatedly to Jason, who was still in his same spot behind the tape.

"What did that jerk want this time?" Tim asked when she finished her conversation.

"He said I looked hot and asked if I wanted some water," she told him. Tim groaned. "He was just trying to be helpful," she added.

"I'm sure he was. Guy's a jackass. I don't like him." This time it was her turn to shake her head.

"Well, it really doesn't matter, he doesn't have anything to do with our case and we're done here anyway."

Tim looked over by the tape and was relieved to see the jerk was gone. The two walked back to the Hummer after grabbing the rest of their stuff. They found Jason anxiously waiting by the truck when they arrived, which only served to irritate Tim even more.

"You want to step away from the vehicle," Tim snapped, not bothering to keep the contempt from his voice.

"I was just bringing the detective some water. I'm not trying to get in the way. It's so hot in the sun today. It's just water and the bottle's unopened," Jason explained.

"Splendid. That's really thoughtful of you," Tim replied, his voice heavy with sarcasm. He rolled his eyes at the sight before him, then got into the truck and started the engine. "Jackass," he said to himself while he was waiting for Calleigh, who was smiling brightly at her admirer. He glared out the window at the two, his mouth clenched tightly. He really didn't like this guy. What a piece of work, hitting on her at a crime scene, he thought to himself as his irritation grew.

"I'm ready," Calleigh said, getting into the passenger side. Tim couldn't help but notice the water bottle in her hand and the bright smile still on her face.

"Sure you wouldn't like more time with your admirer?" Tim asked caustically.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking baffled.

"Nothing," he answered with a scowl and put the car in drive. Whatever good mood he'd had today was gone.

tbc


	9. Surprises

Caution To The Wind

Surprises

"Alexx you got some trace for me?" Tim asked as he wandered into the morgue.

"Don't I always?" she answered with a smile.

"I'll get right on this," he told her, as she handed him the samples. "Thanks."

"Not so fast. I've got one more thing for you," she said, picking up a metal bowl and holding it out for him to see the contents. The metal object inside clanged on the insides of the bowl as it rolled around. Tim peered in and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"A bullet?" he asked, confused. "But this guy was strangled, not shot. Did we miss something? There was no sign of a gunshot wound, no blood at the scene, either," he said, shaking his head.

"No, he was strangled all right, asphyxiation was the cause of death. But he was shot, sometime earlier it just didn't kill him. Maybe 24 to 48 hours ago, by the looks of his wound. Looks like you got yourself a second crime scene. And you're going to have to find out who patched him up." She shook her head. "I found this when I got him on the table," she said while pointing first to the vic's shoulder, then to the bullet. "Now it's yours. Poor thing. Someone really wanted your vic dead and they made sure of it this time."

"Thanks Alexx, I'll get this to Calleigh. Maybe something on the bullet will help us."

"Hi Alexx. Hey Tim," Calleigh greeted as she joined them.

"Speak of the devil. Looks like we've got something for you," Alexx told her.

"Ooh, you know how I love presents," she said with glee as she looked at bullet Tim held out to her. But I thought your vic was strangled?" she asked.

"He was," Tim concurred. "This was extra. Can you take a look at it, see if it leads us to someone?" he asked.

"I'll get right on that and page you if I find anything," she told him with a smile as he handed her the bullet. "Alexx, I won't be needing a ride to the mechanic after all," she began only to be interrupted by Tim.

"Mechanic? Is your car giving you trouble again? Hasn't it been only a couple of months since it was last in?" he asked, his eyebrows rose inquiringly.

"Yeah, again." She turned to look directly at him. "Before you say anything, this time he listened to me. I think the problem will actually get resolved."

"Calleigh, that guy is an idiot. You told him what was wrong the last time and look where it got you. Back in with the same problem. I think he's trying to take advantage of you and hasn't yet realized you're too smart for that. Either that or he just likes seeing you every couple of months, which might be true," Tim chuckled and Calleigh laughed with him. Alexx watched the two interact with an amused look on her face. It was as if she wasn't in the room.

"I don't think that's what it is, he's old enough to be my father," she said, still laughing. "But you're right, I shouldn't keep going back there if the problem keeps coming back. There are other mechanics," she concurred.

"I'll go with you to my mechanic if you want. He's good. I trust him and I'd trust him to fix your car," Tim told her. "Or, maybe it's time to trade in."

"I've been thinking about that, but I like this car. Thanks though, if I have any more trouble I'll take your advice, I promise." Tim nodded and Calleigh flashed him a beaming smile, one that earned her a rarely seen Speedle smile in return. This exchange was not missed by the medical examiner; she gave the two a knowing look that they both missed.

"So you have a ride later, Sugar? Cause I'll be out of here on time and I don't mind dropping you off." Alexx asked, when it seemed they were done.

"I do. Jason's giving me a golf lesson when I finish up here and he offered to come get me when I explained my predicament. So, I'm set, but I appreciate the offer," Calleigh answered brightly, smiling to herself as she spoke.

"Anytime, you know that," Alexx said, eyeing her curiously.

The words, 'Jason' and 'golf' coming out of Calleigh's mouth piqued Tim's curiosity. He came to a speedy conclusion and gave her a sideways glance of disbelief. It couldn't mean what he thought.

"That jackass? From the country club we investigated a couple weeks ago? The so-called golf expert who wanted to help us, but all he really wanted was to hit on you? At a crime scene, no less. That Jason?" Tim asked, not holding anything back. Both Alexx and Calleigh looked at him with wide-eyed surprise.

"Tim, he just offered his help if we needed it. I don't know what he said to you to get this kind of reaction, but he's really a nice guy if you get to know him. He's an excellent instructor and player," Calleigh replied when she recovered from Tim's surprising outburst.

"I'll bet he is," Tim said with heavy sarcasm, taking a renewed interest in the body on the table in front of him.

"He is. I have to get going if I'm going to get out of here on time today. Thanks anyway Alexx. I'll see you later. Tim I'll get to your bullet as soon as I get back to my lab," she called to them.

"Yeah, fine," Tim grumbled with disinterest.

"Sounds like you don't care for this Jason," Alexx commented after Calleigh left the room.

"The guy was a jackass," Tim answered bluntly.

"So I heard. Don't hold back now," Alexx said with a chuckle.

"I didn't like the guy," Tim said with a scowl.

"If I didn't know better Timmy, I'd say it sounded like you were jealous," Alexx said.

"Why would I be jealous? I'm not jealous," Tim said defensively.

"I didn't say you were jealous, Baby, I said you sounded jealous," she explained.

"Well, I don't know why you would think that. I just can't believe the guy was hitting on her at a crime scene, that's all," Tim said.

"Mmm hmm," she uttered with a smile.

"Are we finished here?" Tim asked, avoiding her eyes. "I have a lot to do this afternoon."

"Yeah. We're finished. Have a good afternoon," she said. He mumbled something Alexx couldn't make out as he left. She watched him go, shaking her head with a bemused smile on her face.

Tim headed to the trace lab in a foul mood, a contrast to his earlier disposition. He set his samples on the table and searched for his headphones. He didn't care what he listened to, anything that would kill the voice in his head would do. The voice that kept asking what else is she doing with Jason the golf pro, besides golfing? It didn't matter, he kept repeating. He didn't care. If she wanted to spend time with that jackass, it was her prerogative.

How many golf instructors pick their clients up at work? He wondered. A mental image flashed through his head of golfer boy ogling Calleigh at the crime scene. Just thinking about it got his blood boiling. No, this was definitely about more than just golf. She was pretty happy when she was telling them that he would be picking her up today. It was more than her usual good mood. She had a radiant smile on her face, one he'd seen before. Up close. Remembering that smile now caused a knot in his gut.

It didn't matter. He had no claim on her; he wasn't even interested in her that way. She could date whomever she liked. He still didn't know why Alexx thought he was jealous. He had no reason to be jealous, it's not like he wanted golf lessons. Slipping the found headphones on, he turned the volume up and got started on his samples.

His path didn't cross with Calleigh's for the remainder of the day. One of the techs brought her ballistics report down to trace. She was tied up, so the tech informed him. Tim was just as glad. Finishing up with his evidence kept him busy and for a change, he got to leave work at a reasonable time. He'd accomplished all he could with his case and headed out to his bike.

An unexpected sight greeted him in the parking lot. He exhaled sharply as he studied the pair with an observant eye. This he did not need to see. Calleigh and golfer boy were standing along side Jason's red Mercedes convertible sports car across the way from Tim's bike. "Figures," Tim said under his breath, raking his eyes over the car, "golf must pay well." He wasn't at all surprised golfer boy would have a showy car. His golfing attire looked unwrinkled and perfectly coordinated. For someone who simply pulled something clean out of the closet each day, the idea of a coordinated outfit was foreign to Tim. Unless he had to appear in court or attend some function in a suit, Tim gave dressing little thought. Deeply tanned, with nary a sandy hair out of place, Jason looked the part of a country club golfer. The pair never saw Tim idling by his bike since they were too busy focusing on each other. He didn't want to look, but it was one of those scenes he couldn't tear his eyes from.

What was this hold Calleigh seemed to have over him? He could never completely get her off his mind. And now, seeing her with that country club jackass twisted his insides in a knot.

The animation in the pair's faces could be seen even from this distance. Their heads were tilted towards each other, as if sharing an intimate conversation. Multiple times while they were speaking, Tim saw Calleigh place her hand on Jason's arm. At one point, he watched golfer boy rest his hand on Calleigh's shoulder, leaving it there for what felt like an awfully long time. Tim's gaze remained fixed on them. He was still standing by his bike when they got into the car and pulled out of the lot.

Clearly, the relationship between the two was more than golf instructor and new student. How much more, Tim couldn't tell and didn't think he wanted to know. In his gut, along with the knot, he felt the stirrings of something. Exactly what, he wasn't sure. But if he had to guess, jealousy was what came to mind. And that was his biggest surprise of the day.

tbc


	10. The Contrast Between

Caution To The Wind

The Contrast Between

Calleigh bounced into the layout room with a mile wide smile. "Morning boys," she drawled. "Hope I didn't miss anything."

Tim noticed she'd been doing that a lot over the past couple of weeks. There was more of a spring to her step and her mood seemed especially bubbly, even for her. Considering she almost always had a smile on her face, that was saying a lot. He'd been paying close attention and she did seem happier these days.

He really ought to spend less time studying her, he thought to himself. Or thinking about her. Or thinking about her with that jackass golfer.

He looked up just then, surprised to find her smiling at him. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he grumbled a greeting to her, if that's what she was waiting for. Her buoyancy irritated him, but then, so did everything these days. He had been short tempered and in a foul mood for the past couple of weeks. Everyone else had called him on it, but not Calleigh. She gave him wide berth, but otherwise treated him as she always did. Somehow, that just irritated him even more.

"So what's got you all happy today?" Eric asked with a smirk. "Golf game going especially well?" he teased. Although Calleigh tended to keep her private life private, this relationship news had gotten out. Probably because Jason was pretty well known in golf circles, not that Tim cared, but apparently some people around the lab did.

"Can't I just be in a good mood? It doesn't have to be for any particular reason," she retorted.

"Or because of anyone particular?" Eric added with a grin. Leave it to Delko to always state the obvious, Tim thought. He glanced at Calleigh, saw her cheeks color slightly and felt that familiar knot form in his gut.

She laughed nervously and shook her head. "You would think that, Eric."

"I just call 'em as I see 'em. Hey, if golf is putting you in such a good mood, maybe Speedle and I ought to try it. Lord knows he needs something to improve his disposition. We could play together as a foursome. I think it would be a lot of fun," Eric suggested. Tim's eyebrows rose as he glared at his best friend.

"Speak for yourself Delko. You won't catch me near a golf course unless it's covered in dead bodies. I've got better things to do," Tim said bitterly. Calleigh appeared embarrassed by Eric's teasing, which did nothing but increase Tim's irritation, aimed right now at his buddy.

"Yeah, like what?" Eric asked, eyeing Tim skeptically. "Something other than pissing people off?" Tim said nothing, just continued glaring.

"Tim's right. I can't see the two of you on a golf course. It can be really slow and boring," Calleigh interjected, causing both men to look at her.

"I beg to differ, I think I'd look good on a golf course," Eric said.

"Could we please get some work done? This case isn't going to get solved while we stand around doing absolutely nothing and we made no headway yesterday," Tim snapped, looking back at his friend with darkened, narrowed eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Eric asked pointedly. "We're just having a conversation. People do that from time to time."

"Nothing's wrong with me," Tim again snapped. "I would just like to get some actual work done for a change."

The tension in the room was palpable. Eric stared disbelieving at his friend, while Calleigh looked uncomfortable, glancing between the photographs on the table and her two colleagues. The contrast between the atmosphere in the room five minutes ago and the atmosphere in the room now was striking.

"Fine. But I still think we gotta do something about your bad mood. You're quite the contrast to little Miss Sunshine." There was Delko again, with his knack for stating the obvious. This time Tim shot him a look of contempt before responding.

"You know Delko, if you had made any sort of progress on those tire treads we found yesterday, then maybe we'd all be happy sunshine," Tim said sarcastically, as the two glared at each other. "Or if you had found even one useable print, it would've helped." He didn't mean to criticize his friend, but Delko pushed him too far. Still, he had to admit; he had been a pain in the ass lately and was taking it out on everyone.

Horatio chose to moment to appear at his elbow. Always one with perfect timing, he crept in so quietly, he was by Tim's side before any of them knew he was in the room.

"Everything all right in here, people?" he asked in his smooth, soft voice. He looked them over with concern, head tilted in that way he had. He briefly caught the gaze of each before dropping his eyes.

"Yes, we're just wondering what we're missing here," Calleigh said, essentially saving them. "We need something to tie together these seemingly disconnected pieces of evidence." She motioned to the various photographs and papers spread out on the table.

Horatio placed his hands on his hips while nodding to her words. He glanced at the table laden with evidence. "All right then. Maybe that's where we need to be focusing. Let's see what all of this means."

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

After spending the morning running various leads, they finally had a run of luck. Tim and Eric set off in the Hummer to investigate another vehicle with ties to their case. Tim drove while Eric, who had been subdued since their terse morning exchange, looked blankly out the window. Tim decided to try to mend the fence.

"Good pickup, discovering the second vehicle," Tim said with a sideways glance.

"Yeah, too bad it wasn't the right one," Eric said curtly, clearly not ready to let bygones be bygones.

"Yeah, but it brings us one step closer to the right one. You found the connection we needed. You did good work," Tim told him.

"Maybe," Eric said. Tim sighed deeply, he wasn't making any inroads, but he couldn't blame his buddy for being pissed at him. Silence descended in the car once more.

"You doing anything tonight?" Tim asked after a spell.

"I don't know, probably. Maybe. Why?" Eric asked.

Tim shrugged. "Go for a drink?" Eric was quiet for a moment, obviously deciding whether or not to consider Tim's peace offering.

"Yeah. Okay," he finally answered. Tim nodded, relieved. "Maybe you ought to get drunk," Eric suggested, looking directly at Tim. "Might kill what's been bugging you."

Tim breathed in deeply and exhaled heavily. "Maybe so. Maybe so." Perhaps his friend had a point. He had to somehow get whatever was bugging him out of his system. And he had a pretty good idea what was bugging him.

It was this thing with Calleigh; he didn't understand it, but he had to let it go. Calleigh was happy now and she deserved to be. She belonged with a guy who would put her first and treat her well. If this golfer was the one, then so be it. All that mattered was what was best for her and it wasn't Tim.

Although, he sometimes wondered what would've happened if he hadn't walked away from her that night at the beach. If he hadn't used every bit of self-control and restraint he had to leave her that night, because he certainly didn't want to. He just couldn't let it go as far as he wanted. He wanted her; he just didn't want to want her.

Or what would've happened if he had gone to dinner with her when she asked him? If he didn't disappoint her, if he didn't conceive of every reason why he shouldn't go. As usual, he had to over-think everything, as was his habit. And he had done it then.

Or what if he had gone to her that night on the beach after the shooting? When he was worried about her and wanted, no, needed to see her. But he didn't, because he talked himself out of it. Because he couldn't be with her, because he had a million reasons why he shouldn't. And were there any reasons why he should?

Or any of the countless times he wanted to call her, but never really knew why, so he didn't.

Except now he did know why, he just had a hard time admitting it. It was because no one was quite like her and no one made him feel quite the way she did when he was with her, or even looking at her. Because she seemed to have some insight into him that no one else did. And because he felt something between them that night that he hadn't felt before, with anyone. It just took him a really long time to figure it out. Which is probably why he's been in such a bad mood for so long. So maybe Delko's right. Maybe getting drunk will kill what's been bugging him, the fact that he ever let her go in the first place.

None of it mattered now. She was with Jason and she was happy. And there were really too many reasons why she shouldn't be with Tim and why he shouldn't be with her. He looked over at Delko, "Yeah. Let's get drunk. Might do me some good, probably won't hurt any."

Eric chuckled. "You're probably right about that."

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

The bar was loud, crowded and just the right venue for forgetting what one needed to forget. Delko was a perfect companion on this evening, he knew better than to ask Tim what was bothering him, knew Tim would come around if and when he was ready. It was enough that he was there. The pair had been smart and taken a taxi, so it didn't matter how much they drank and they planned to drink plenty.

She caught his eye early on and took his approving glance as an invitation to come stand by his side. He wasn't averse to her company; she was, after all, the one doing all the work. All he did was nod, mumble simple responses and buy a couple of drinks. How she managed to get him to the dance floor was anyone's guess, but probably all the beer he'd had to drink was the answer. Even then, all he had to do was hold on and sway. No problem there, he was too drunk to care.

Blonde, cute and dressed to show off her best assets, he could've done a lot worse. She made it perfectly clear what she wanted and what she wanted was Tim. For a brief moment he indulged himself with thoughts of leaving with her. What harm would it do? Only problem was, her heated kisses and roaming hands left him cold. He felt nothing: no connection, no spark, and absolutely no interest. Annoyance and the beginnings of a headache about summed it up. He'd made this mistake once before and the thought of repeating it sobered him up pretty quickly.

The contrast between the blonde currently by his side and the one that he wanted was just too great. Drunk or sober, he knew Calleigh was only one for him; it was pointless to keep denying it. But she wasn't here and he'd lost his chance with her. There was no one to blame but himself. He had to figure out a way to get over her, because his current solution wasn't working.

He signaled to Delko, who was currently being propped up by a striking redhead; it was time to go home.

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

It was only a few days later that he learned through the lab grapevine, always a great source of information that Calleigh's golfer had left Miami to go on some countrywide golf tour. It appeared that the two had parted company for good. Apparently, they wanted different things, whatever that meant. He didn't hear any of the details and he tried to tell himself that it wasn't his business anyway. He never saw a change in Calleigh's disposition indicating any sort of disappointment or heartbreak. In his opinion, she was in her usual good mood. If she was upset about the parting, she never let on.

He saw mention of Jason in the sports section of the paper, so apparently the rumor was true. It was something to think about... but it was probably too late.

tbc


	11. Under the Skin

Caution To The Wind

Under the Skin

This was undoubtedly the worst he had felt about himself or his job in a long time. The boy's parents were understandably distraught when they heard the news that their only child's killer would not be charged and yet, there they were, _thanking him_. The mother had embraced him; the father had shaken his hand. Didn't they know he hadn't done his job? That he hadn't gotten enough evidence, or the right evidence to allow this case to go to trial and that his opinion meant nothing to the prosecutor? They would go home to an empty house, where the dreams they had for this bright and devoted son would never be realized, but his killer would go free. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right, yet they thanked him anyway.

How did Horatio do this all the time? Feel _so_ strongly about all the cases he got involved with? Tim couldn't do it; he tried his best to avoid it, but not this time. This kid, this family, this case had gotten to him. And he failed them, despite doing everything he could and devoting countless hours. He brought everything he had to the prosecutor, but his case had been deemed 'wobbly'. It wasn't a certain conviction. The jury could side with the defense and decide this was an accidental shooting. 'Sorry', he was told, it's not worth the risk. Tim knew in his gut that this was no accident; he just didn't have the evidence to prove it. Now there was nothing left for him to do but accept it and move on to the next case.

But this time it wasn't going to be that easy, his heart just wasn't in it. He couldn't go home yet, so he did the next best thing. He went to the trace lab to hide out and search through the evidence again. There had to be something he overlooked, something to prove his theory that this wasn't an accidental shooting.

He wasn't aware that she had followed him into the lab. When she spoke, her soft voice, barely heard over the din in his head, startled him.

"You're not going to find anything new, because you didn't miss anything the first, second or third time you looked," Calleigh said quietly.

Rummaging through the evidence envelopes piled in front of him, his head shot up at the sound of her voice and he turned towards her. Still uncomfortable with the strong feelings he had developed for her, he found no longer knew how to react when she was around. That discomfort coupled with his distress over this case caused him to lash out in frustration.

"Obviously I did because a killer is walking around free and a fifteen year old's parents are planning his memorial service," he replied with a double dose of sarcasm and annoyance. "Is there something you wanted?"

"I just came to see if you were okay," she said, her eyes fixed on his.

"I'm fine," he replied, holding her gaze.

"Tim, this wasn't your call to make and it's not your fault this case got thrown out. All you did was collect and interpret the evidence to the best of your ability. The choice to go forward or not wasn't yours," she said, her eyes now filled with concern.

"I know this wasn't an accident. And my opinion meant nothing. Nothing," he repeated, his voice hoarse. He dropped his eyes and shook his head in disgust.

"The evidence could be interpreted by a jury both ways and you know that. The prosecutor made the call. It wasn't necessarily the right call, but it was theirs to make," she said resignedly.

"I'm sure that boy's parents will take a lot of comfort in that," he snapped. His anger was spilling over and it wasn't meant for her, but unfortunately, she was right in the way.

"I saw you with them. I heard part of what you said. You were very kind, a comfort to them and they appreciated it. I could tell," she said, trying a different tact with him.

"Not an asshole this time, is that what you're saying?" He regretted the words as soon as he said them. Luckily, she chose to ignore them. He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. Plopping down on the stool, he dropped his head as if the weight was just too much. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I just don't want to talk about this now." He hoped she would leave, but instead she came closer, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her skin and feel the familiar stirrings her nearness caused. He cast a sideways glance at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked very softly.

"I'm fine," he replied brusquely.

"No you're not. I can see it in your eyes," she said, focusing on him with the clearest green eyes he'd ever seen. He cocked a single eyebrow at her, remembering those were the words he'd used on her once upon a time. He took another deep breath and nodded his head. She smiled at him then, as if she realized he got what she was saying. Surprisingly, her words and her concern had diffused his anger. "Sometimes a case just gets under your skin and you have to wait until it works itself out."

"Yeah," he said quietly. He knew what that was like. Only with Calleigh, she had never gotten worked out. She was still under his skin and she was probably always going to be. When it came to taking risks, he was no braver than anyone else. She was a risk he should have taken when he had the chance. And he knew that now. But like the case he could no longer do anything about, there was nothing he could do about her. Hadn't he lost the one chance he had?

"You did a good job. No one else could've done a better job and no one else could've given those parents more comfort," she said. Well, that wasn't true, he thought to himself, but still, it was nice to hear, especially coming from her. "We all get frustrated sometimes, we've all been there." He nodded again. "And Tim," she said in a lilting drawl that caused him to look up at her, "be careful driving tonight. I don't want to be worrying about you," she told him, laughing lightly. The anxiety he now saw in her eyes betrayed the lightness her voice was attempting to convey. Could it be she cared for him as well?

"I will," he said, realizing with certainty how well she knew him.

"I have to get back to work. I'll see you later," she said and started to the door before she turned around again. "Oh, don't forget, we're having dinner on Friday after work. Remember?" she asked. "That friend of Eric's remodeled his restaurant and we're all invited to the reopening. You do remember, don't you?"

"I remember. Is it just the three of us?" he questioned.

"Maybe Valera and a couple others from the lab. That's all," she answered.

"Okay. See ya later." He sighed heavily and put the envelopes back in the box from which they came. She was right he hadn't missed anything. He had even asked Horatio to look over the case and he had come to the same conclusion as Tim. This case would stay with him for a while, and then he'd make peace with it.

He wasn't even sure what it was about this case that got to him. Maybe something about this kid reminded him of himself at that age. That was a lifetime ago, when the world was up for grabs and all it took was throwing caution to the wind before the next big adventure began. Of course, he was never really like that, but he held fast to the hope that he would become that person. He clung to the idea while he spent hour after hour pouring over books in the library. The closest he came was when he dropped out of school and vanished for a while, not thinking about what came next. But that was more running away than throwing caution to the wind. This kid woke up one day with a full life ahead of him to take all the chances he wanted, then in an instant it was over, at the hands of another. He would never have a chance to become the person he was supposed to be. Something about that Tim couldn't let go of. But he would, eventually.

Truth be told, he felt better already, that was the kind of effect she had on him when he let her. And, he had to admit; hearing it from her was more effective than hearing the same thing from Horatio, which he would, later.

The dinner on Friday… he had been trying not to think about that. It would be his first time seeing Calleigh outside of work since, well, since that night they had had dinner together. And that night was probably all he was going to be able to think about. This dinner would be different though; there would be others around.

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

The restaurant was packed by the time he arrived, but his small group was already seated at a good-sized table in the back, thanks to Delko's friendship with the owner. 'Leave it to Delko,' Tim chuckled to himself. By virtue of growing up and going to school in Miami, not to mention his outgoing personality, he knew far more people than Tim ever would. Valera, Tyler and Joe from the lab made up the rest of their party. Tim grabbed the empty seat at the table where the beer and mixed drinks were already flowing.

Calleigh, dressed casually with her hair pulled back, looked effortlessly beautiful and was in an especially good mood. Every time he glanced in her direction, which was often, she caught his gaze and flashed him a smile. There wasn't much opportunity to talk to her at the lively table, because they were seated at opposite sides and never alone, but the chill, which had once hung between them, was long gone.

His own disposition had finally changed for the better. Gone was the foul mood he had been in for the past few weeks. Of course, it was hard to be anything but in a good mood surrounded by this group. Valera had an entertaining personality and when she got going with Delko, you never knew what was in store. Tonight they were treated to an off the wall competition between the two of them over most outrageous dates they had ever been on. It appeared as though Valera was winning, although Delko was giving her a good challenge.

The company was enjoyable and the food was incredible. It had been a long time since Tim had enjoyed himself that much. After the long, hectic workweek, everyone was pretty tired by the time the restaurant closed. Tim, however, wished the evening didn't have to end. As they said their goodbyes, all agreed they should make plans to get together again. As long as Calleigh was there, Tim knew he'd agree to anything.

Eric, Calleigh and Tim were the last to leave and leisurely walked out to the parking lot together. His eyes lingered on her as he wistfully remembered a different night, a different parking lot. She caught him looking and smiled. His gaze held hers and at that moment he knew all he wanted was another chance with her. He had denied his feelings for a long time, but he was finally being honest with himself. It was time to be honest with her as well.

Maybe it wasn't too late for the two of them. Maybe she would be willing to give him another chance. He was determined to find out and he wasn't going to wait. He'd wasted enough time already.

tbc


	12. Unfinished Business

A/N: Thanks to all who read & reviewed. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Caution To The Wind

Unfinished Business

He went for the phone as soon as he got in the door. There was no more thinking or debating; he had already wasted too much time doing that. There was just no way to know how she might respond after all this time. His head was spinning the entire ride home, but this was something he knew he needed to do.

He wished there had been a chance to talk to her at dinner, but they were never alone and it wasn't the right setting. Even after dinner he couldn't find the right opportunity. He and Eric both walked her to her car, eliminating any possibility of talking then. If he had hung around, that would've roused Eric's suspicions and this was going to be hard enough to do without having to deal with his reaction as well. No, his only option was to call her now. Or wait till tomorrow, but it was too late, he had already dialed. He listened to the sound of ringing on the other end.

One ring... two rings... three rings... He couldn't believe how nervous he was. He felt like a sixteen year old again. It wasn't pleasant the first time around and it wasn't any better now. She really ought to be home, he thought as he began to pace around the room. She lived closer to the restaurant than he did. He glanced at his watch; it was 11:45 PM. 'Oh shit,' he thought. 'Could she already be asleep?' Maybe he should've considered the time before he called, but he couldn't do anything about that now. On the fourth ring she finally picked up, sounding a bit breathless.

"Hello?"

"Calleigh, it's me. I um, hope that I uh, didn't wake you. I, um, didn't exactly look at the time before I dialed. Sorry," he stammered.

"Tim?" She sounded surprised or concerned or both, he couldn't be sure. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah. Everything's fine." He paused before continuing. "I just wondered if you, uh, would like to have dinner with me tomorrow night. If you're free and you, um, would want to." That was smooth, he thought sarcastically. He plopped down in his chair and rested his head in his free hand. All he heard on the other end was silence. He tried to picture her face as she pondered his question, but he came up blank. Just as well, he thought, perhaps this wasn't something he wanted to see.

"Dinner tomorrow night?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah." His power of speech was clearly not at it's best tonight.

"Didn't we just have dinner tonight?" She sounded confused and why wouldn't she? This was coming up out of the blue after all.

"Well, this would be just the two of us," he said softly. "I would really like to see you again. Alone," he added. There was another spell of prolonged silence and it made him seriously wish he had thought this through a little more. It was after all, late, the last minute and rather unexpected all at once. He rubbed at his temple while he waited for some response. Any response.

"Like on a date?" she asked, her voice higher than it was before. She sounded like she couldn't believe what he was asking.

"Well, yes," he answered, wondering what was going through her head.

"Tim it's close to midnight, you're asking me now? For tomorrow?" she questioned as if she couldn't quite believe he would do such a thing. "You couldn't have asked me earlier? I saw you all day and all evening, if you recall." Now he heard the unmistakable sound of annoyance in her voice. He sighed loudly. He really couldn't blame her.

"There was never a time tonight when I could talk to you alone," he said.

"I see," she replied. What did she mean by that?

"Well, maybe you don't. I just wanted to keep this between us," he paused, "that way if you wanted to say 'no', then you wouldn't have to worry about doing so in front of everyone," he explained. He hoped he didn't sound as vulnerable as he felt just then. There was only more silence, which certainly wasn't helping his current state of discomfort.

"You just decided to ask me tonight?" she asked. Now it was his turn to be speechless. Was he as transparent as he felt?

"I guess you could say that," he finally answered. "But I've kind of been thinking about it for some time. A long time, I guess." More silence and more knots in his stomach.

"It's a bit short notice, I do have plans for tomorrow," she began.

"That's okay. Don't worry about it. I thought you might have plans. I'm sorry I called so late. Maybe some other time," he said in one breath. He got out of the chair and began pacing the room again. It would be best to end this conversation quickly.

"You didn't let me finish," she drawled. "I'll be free sometime after 7:30, would 8:00 be too late for you?" she asked with a bit of a laugh.

"No, not at all," he answered probably sounding as surprised as he felt. That would be fine. I'll pick you up at 8:00," he said.

"And this is a date?" she asked. He could hear the grin in her voice. She wasn't going to let this go.

"Yeah, it's a date. I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked, uncertainty creeping into his voice.

"Tomorrow. 'Night Tim," she said.

"Goodnight," he said, feeling tremendous relief. He hung up and inhaled deeply. He had a date. It wasn't just any date, but a date with Calleigh. This was either his biggest mistake or his smartest move. There was just no way to know how it was going to turn out. She sounded happy though, well, happy once she got over her initial surprise and annoyance. It was probably best not think too much about it, because he was beginning to feel more than a little nervous.

_CTTW CTTW CTTW_

Despite doing everything he could to keep busy, seeing Calleigh was about the only thing on his mind all day. He knew it wouldn't be difficult to talk himself out of this date; he could still think of far too many reasons why they shouldn't get involved. And he also knew if they went through with this, they would become involved. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that this was what he wanted and in the end that's the voice that won out.

Showered, dressed and clean-shaven, he stole a cursory glance in the mirror before heading out. Dressed in a black striped button down, he imagined he looked much like he did at work every day, maybe a little neater. He hoped he looked date presentable. Grabbing his jacket, he headed out to his seldom-used car. His motorcycle was his preferred mode of transportation, but sometimes a car was a necessity, like tonight. A fleeting image of Calleigh on the back of the bike flashed through his head and he couldn't help but smile at the thought.

The traffic was minimal and he found her place with ease. He glanced at his watch, surprised to find he was twenty minutes early. 'Not too anxious,' he thought to himself. He found a parking spot across the way from her townhouse and debated whether to wait in the car or go to the door early. The door won out. Stepping out of the car, he noticed Calleigh walking out her door followed by a tall, light haired guy. Her earlier plans, he guessed. At first glance, he thought it was that golfer boy, Jason, but this guy was much too tall to be him. Tim was relieved, but still, who was the guy? Just a friend? A date? The pair walked to the car parked right in front of her walkway. The two were laughing like old friends. Tim leaned against the side of his car, hoping he was inconspicuous and decided to wait where he was until they said their goodbyes.

Whoever he was, he embraced her, holding her close and kissing her on the cheek. Tim didn't want to watch, but had a hard time turning away. He swallowed hard, feeling that familiar knot twisting in his gut. The two pulled apart, but continued talking while the guy got into his car. It was then that Calleigh looked in Tim's direction and flashed him a beaming smile, while she held up her finger, motioning 'just a minute'. He nodded back to her.

Her friend pulled out and she walked over to Tim, whose eyes never left her. 'Hey you," she said by way of a greeting and smiled radiantly.

"Hey. Sorry if I'm too early," he said, returning her smile with a small one of his own.

"No problem, you're fine. Ben had a flight to catch," she told him. He nodded, biting back the desire to ask exactly who Ben was. "Ben's a friend of mine from school. He's been in town for a business function and this afternoon was the only time we had to get together before he flew home," she told him, as if reading his mind. "He's engaged to another friend of mine," she added with a knowing smile.

Relieved, Tim could only add, "oh. So you two didn't need more time?"

"No, he knew I had a date tonight," she told him grinning. He took in a deep breath and let it out.

"You look, uh, really pretty," he said, casting an appreciative gaze over her. "That's a very nice dress." He wished he were better at this, not so tongue tied, because there was so much more he wanted to say to her. The flattering green sleeveless dress floated against her curves, accentuating her shapely figure. She wore her hair loose and wavy, just the way he liked it. He wondered if maybe she dressed that way for him. Even under these parking lot lights, he could see the sparkle in her eyes. He held her gaze as long as he could, wanting her image to stay with him tonight.

"Thank you. You look very nice, yourself," she said, tilting her head to give him the once over. Her close proximity caused a different kind of stirring inside him.

His eyes traveled her features, settling on her lips, the ones he spent so much time thinking about. He wondered if whatever had existed between them was still there. Unexpectedly she leaned in and reached up to fix his shirt collar. She kept her eyes fixed on his while she slowly smoothed the fabric of his lapels, then reached for the collar. He breathed in deeply, inhaling the light scent of flowers he had come to know as Calleigh. Her fingers grazed the skin of his neck and lingered lightly, sending shivers down his back. The attraction between them was palpable, putting to rest any doubts he might have had.

Driven by a sense of urgency, he moved forward and clasped her tightly to him in one swift motion. Her body melded into his as he held her close. His senses were heightened with the anticipation of feeling her lips against his once more. He tilted his head towards her, allowing his lips to gently brush against hers. Feeling her body shudder in response to the touch of his lips, he deepened the kiss. His mouth covered hers as she parted her lips and returned his kiss with rising passion. Lost in the heady sensations kissing her created, he was unaware of anything else around him for several long moments.

Briefly they separated before their lips met again. Softer, gentler this time, the reckless urgency replaced now with a deep sense of comfort, one he had only ever felt with her. He kissed her slowly, lingering on her lips, savoring the sweetness of each kiss. Her arms wound around him and her hands traveled slowly up and down his back. Moving his lips off hers, he pressed them lightly against her neck. He heard her soft moan as his lips caressed the velvet skin. She pulled away from him and tipped her head to meet his gaze.

"Mmmm," she sighed contentedly. "That was some kiss. Reminds me of another night," she said softly, her eyes shimmering.

"Yeah, it was," he answered, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You have no idea how many times I've thought about that night. I wasn't sure I'd ever get to kiss you again." He tightened his hold on her and pulled her closer, afraid if he let go he would lose her again.

"It was worth waiting for," she said, looking up at him. He responded to her comment by capturing her lips once more in a knee-weakening kiss. "So what is it with you and parking lots?" she asked with a grin when the kiss ended.

He chuckled lightly before responding in a hoarse whisper, "it's the only time I've had you in my arms and I've had to make the most of it," he said before briefly pressing his lips lightly against hers. "Thank you for giving me another chance. I'm not sure I deserved one."

"Well, it seemed like we had some unfinished business," she said, her voice now serious.

"Yeah, I guess we did," he said nodding. "Something happened between us that night. Something I let go."

"Yeah, you did. Something did happen between us that night, but it wasn't anything you expected and it wasn't something you wanted. At least not then." He was taken aback by the honesty of her words and her keen insight into him.

Sighing heavily, he could only answer her honesty with his own. "You are right about that. I didn't anticipate anything developing between us, ever. And it wasn't something I wanted to happen. I'm sorry," he said softly, dropping his eyes from hers. "But it was too late, because after that night you were all I could ever think about, even when I didn't want to." He hesitated before continuing, "and I wanted you the whole time I was fighting it." He sought her eyes. "I care about you Calleigh, I have all along and I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"I know you do, Tim and I knew you did before, I just wasn't sure if you knew it." She reached up and lightly placed her lips on his. "Took you long enough to figure it out," she teased after kissing him, but there was a truth behind her words.

His face grew serious. She was right, he had fought this for so long and had so many reasons why they shouldn't be together. He had trouble seeing the one reason why he should give them a chance. Now that she was in his arms, it was the only one that mattered to him.

He cupped her cheeks in his hands. "It may have taken me awhile, but I did figure things out. I'm through fighting it; I'm exactly where I want to be, with you. You gave me another chance and I'm going to try not to disappoint you." He kissed her softly before moving his hands to her waist and pulling her close. "Now, about that unfinished business…" he said with a gleam in his eye.

"Tim we're standing in a parking lot," she said laughing.

"I meant the date I owe you," he said laughing with her. "The other unfinished business will have to wait a bit longer, because we have a dinner reservation."

"That's right, I do recall being invited to dinner," she said still laughing. "At the last minute, I might add."

"It may have been last minute, but I managed to get reservations at a very nice place. I think you'll be pleased. I owe you a nice date after making you wait so long and asking you out at the last minute," he said.

"Mmm, that's true. You do owe me. This may cost you more than just dinner," she teased.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" he asked with a smirk.

"I'm thinking dessert…at the very least," she told him.

He tipped his head towards hers. "I'm in luck then, because I understand this place makes a decadent chocolate cake. You also might be interested to know that they have a pretty decent parking lot," he whispered in her ear. He felt her body shudder once more before she reached up to meet his lips.

"That works for me," she said with a smile.

the end


End file.
